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Anthem AVM 90 Audio Video Preamp/Processor

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bkdc

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Yay. The JBL SDP-58 has some serious competition.
I hope the measurements reflect the touted improvements.
 

K.Trout

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With the help of a couple gentlemen here on ASR, I am very interested in the Anthem AVP’s. It appears that the AVM 70 very well may be best amongst the best dedicated AVP in the A/V world, not even taking into consideration the meager price tag. I’m saying meager because I paid nearly that for my AVR years ago. But it looks like it’s about to get even better, and I see the new Anthem AVM 90 for pre-order, and this is what I could find out online about it. I can’t find much info about the DAC’s in the AVM 70, but check out the specs for the DAC’s in the AVM 90, and other features. In my opinion it’s about time that they have upped the ante, and one of these companies needs to break away from the pack.

So what does everybody think, because it’s double the price of the AVM 70, and does the ability to run 4 subwoofers interest you?

My question would be how is it going to EQ those, how effective is Genesis going to be?

“The AVM 90 is our new flagship A/V Processor with upgraded audio circuitry, 4 independent subwoofer outputs and an excellent 32-bit DAC’s with 768kHz sampling capability. It represents Anthem’s ultimate expression of audio performance.



Object-oriented audio codecs have been updated with support for up to 15.4 channels; as well as built-in streaming support for Apple AirPlay2, Google Chromecast, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect and Roon (coming soon).

Video support includes 7 HDMI 2.0 inputs with 2 outputs, plus eARC for seamless integration with smart TVs. Perfect passthrough of Ultra HD signals at up to 18.2 Gbps with Dolby Vision, HDR or Hybrid Log Gamma ensures optimal presentation of your visual media”
I had an AVM69 that was an absolute nightmare. FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I couldn’t get Anthem customer service to respond in any way. No matter what I did, they were like a black hole. Never again. The WORST customer service I’ve ever experienced and I have dealt with s lot for many different reasons. SVS, on the other hand, should be given the lifetime achievement award for customer serviced. They’re incredible. Each time I deal with them they go above and beyond what any co. could be expected to do. Cheers
 

Vacceo

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I am seriously considering this processor along with the AVM70 to combine it with a Purifi multichannel amp.

It seems to provide an EQ perhaps not as granular as Lyngdorf or Dirac, but equally as effective including subwoofer management (which is a hard thing to do). At the same time, it seems to be miles ahead of my current (and very old) Audyssey based Denon.

SINAD seems to be superb for an AV processor, it has HDMI 2.1 (I have my PC hooked to the AVR), and I can even add the turntable effectively clearing a device. How good is the phono, by the way?

The only element I'm surprised is the bloetooth. Considering how long it has taken to release, I'm surprised Anthem didn't implement a 5.0 with APTX and APTX HD. Hopefully that can be upgraded in the future.
 

Dj7675

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I am seriously considering this processor along with the AVM70 to combine it with a Purifi multichannel amp.

It seems to provide an EQ perhaps not as granular as Lyngdorf or Dirac, but equally as effective including subwoofer management (which is a hard thing to do). At the same time, it seems to be miles ahead of my current (and very old) Audyssey based Denon.

SINAD seems to be superb for an AV processor, it has HDMI 2.1 (I have my PC hooked to the AVR), and I can even add the turntable effectively clearing a device. How good is the phono, by the way?

The only element I'm surprised is the bloetooth. Considering how long it has taken to release, I'm surprised Anthem didn't implement a 5.0 with APTX and APTX HD. Hopefully that can be upgraded in the future.
AVM70/90... I haven’t seen any post correction measurements of subs or subs/mains integration ARC beta. All I have seen so far is it “sounds great”. Look forward to eventual post ARC beta measurements to see exactly what it does and how well it does with multiple subs in regards to frequency response, seat to seat variation, and subs/mains integration. DLBC at this point has been proven to work. I look forward to an depth post measurement analysis of the new ARC beta.
 

Keened

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The only element I'm surprised is the bloetooth. Considering how long it has taken to release, I'm surprised Anthem didn't implement a 5.0 with APTX and APTX HD. Hopefully that can be upgraded in the future.

I'm now on the lookout for an LHDC capable system since that seems to finally fulfill the promise of P2P lossless audio. Unfortunately I can't find any stand alone transceivers that support it and only a handful of wireless headsets support it. I also haven't seen any 3rd party tests confirming their claims of 24 bit depth and 48khz.

I'd also like to see a WiFi-Bluetooth bridge so you can have multiple bluetooth transmitters scattered over an area because that somehow still seems easier then WiSA streaming which most TWS don't support (and which doesn't support bi-directional IIRC).
 

Vacceo

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If I wanted to plug a Fiio or similar device to an AVM, there would be no issue as it is as easy as using an optical cable. However, I´m still surprised Anthem didn´t take the delay in release to update the Bluetooth part so the AVM can transmit content with a good quality audio to wireless headphones.

AVM70/90... I haven’t seen any post correction measurements of subs or subs/mains integration ARC beta. All I have seen so far is it “sounds great”. Look forward to eventual post ARC beta measurements to see exactly what it does and how well it does with multiple subs in regards to frequency response, seat to seat variation, and subs/mains integration. DLBC at this point has been proven to work. I look forward to an depth post measurement analysis of the new ARC beta.
I have read other forums where users really praise the sound quality, for both music and film of the processor, but yeah, I agree with your thoughts. It would be nice to have our fellow forum members actually tell us about direct experience, particularly with subwoofer integration, as that is usually the hard part for any EQ software. Of course, Amir running tests on the electronic part of the device would give us direct and trustworthy info.

What catches my attention beyond the reproduction quality of the processor is that it has essentially all the connections I need: HDMI 2.1 and in spades, chromecast (I use it for tune in, since I listen to a loooot of radio), phono stage and balanced inputs. The fact that ARC seems to be quite easy to apply is the chocolate crust on the cake. :p
 
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tparm

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I didn't read this thread all the way through but I'll speak of my AVM-70 experience and throw in my $0.02 on the 90. BTW, I should qualify my statements with I do NOT believe all amps and processors sound the same, I believe UI has an impact on the performance of a product and I don't believe all things that measure well sound better than things that don't (specifically in my user experience Denon A110 in preamp mode compared o the AVM 70 and Gustard X16 vs Denafrips Ares II, so if that isn't your cup of tea I ask you to please scroll on).

I went from MRX-520 to NAD T758.3 to Marantz 7703 to AVR850 to X3600 to X4700 to A110 to RMC-1L to AVM-70. I have no plans or desire to upgrade (my processor) anytime soon. The Anthem flat out works, 90% (or more) of the "bugs" you read about are user error and Anthem has been very methodical and appropriate with their firmware updates and are keenly interested in and responsive to user inquiries / experiences.

I could not get any of my Denon/Marantz stuff to sound as good as the Anthem, even when using them in preamp mode with the same amps (which I have since changed too) and also in full analog bypass mode using an external DAC. Say what you will about placebo blah blah, I have been around long enough to discern my own experiences.

The latest beta update from Anthem including phase and polarity for subs along with auto-delay for all channels is freaking great and has worked flawlessly on my rig. Without upgrading at a significant cost I can not expect my room (well planned and properly treated) to sound any better than it does today, at least for multi-channel music and movie playback.

Lastly, the WebUI is excellent and ARC (after appropriate learning curve) is superior to my personal experiences with Audyssey (haven't used the new web based module) and Dirac (never used DLBC). The flexibility inside ARC and ease of setting up user profiles is great.

Two additional points; I use both a 2CH profile via analog bypass (no room correction, external DAC) and a 2.2CH digitized profile with ARC engaged from the same source. The two are closer (I still prefer pure 2CH in most cases) than with all the other processors referenced above, possibly due to Anthem's ADC implementation? If wishes were fishes I'd want balanced inputs but with my gear and being a short interconnect run its not a big deal.

My final point is I have heard from others the 2CH (digital) performance of the 90 is superior to the 70. This could be a real boon to those that prefer to use room correction for music. Otherwise I am not sure how to justify the difference in cost between the 70 and 90 or the 70 and any other processor for that matter.

Hope this is somewhat helpful and D+M fans and measurement peeps don't ruin this thread.
 

Dj7675

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I didn't read this thread all the way through but I'll speak of my AVM-70 experience and throw in my $0.02 on the 90. BTW, I should qualify my statements with I do NOT believe all amps and processors sound the same, I believe UI has an impact on the performance of a product and I don't believe all things that measure well sound better than things that don't (specifically in my user experience Denon A110 in preamp mode compared o the AVM 70 and Gustard X16 vs Denafrips Ares II, so if that isn't your cup of tea I ask you to please scroll on).

I went from MRX-520 to NAD T758.3 to Marantz 7703 to AVR850 to X3600 to X4700 to A110 to RMC-1L to AVM-70. I have no plans or desire to upgrade (my processor) anytime soon. The Anthem flat out works, 90% (or more) of the "bugs" you read about are user error and Anthem has been very methodical and appropriate with their firmware updates and are keenly interested in and responsive to user inquiries / experiences.

I could not get any of my Denon/Marantz stuff to sound as good as the Anthem, even when using them in preamp mode with the same amps (which I have since changed too) and also in full analog bypass mode using an external DAC. Say what you will about placebo blah blah, I have been around long enough to discern my own experiences.

The latest beta update from Anthem including phase and polarity for subs along with auto-delay for all channels is freaking great and has worked flawlessly on my rig. Without upgrading at a significant cost I can not expect my room (well planned and properly treated) to sound any better than it does today, at least for multi-channel music and movie playback.

Lastly, the WebUI is excellent and ARC (after appropriate learning curve) is superior to my personal experiences with Audyssey (haven't used the new web based module) and Dirac (never used DLBC). The flexibility inside ARC and ease of setting up user profiles is great.

Two additional points; I use both a 2CH profile via analog bypass (no room correction, external DAC) and a 2.2CH digitized profile with ARC engaged from the same source. The two are closer (I still prefer pure 2CH in most cases) than with all the other processors referenced above, possibly due to Anthem's ADC implementation? If wishes were fishes I'd want balanced inputs but with my gear and being a short interconnect run its not a big deal.

My final point is I have heard from others the 2CH (digital) performance of the 90 is superior to the 70. This could be a real boon to those that prefer to use room correction for music. Otherwise I am not sure how to justify the difference in cost between the 70 and 90 or the 70 and any other processor for that matter.

Hope this is somewhat helpful and D+M fans and measurement peeps don't ruin this thread.
Great to hear you are enjoying the AVM90.
"measurement peeps".... Sorry for commenting, but this is ASR :) The only measuremets I am interested in are what the AVM90 is doing with subs. If it is doing what DLBC is doing and has been proven to do with measurements, that would be fantastic for everyone (more competition is a good thing!). Speaking for myself, but having only subjective comments as my system has never sounded better without anything else provided woudln't move me to purchase. It is just a matter of time I'm sure before the ARC beta geta out of beta and eventually there can be some concrete measurements on how effective it is managing subs. This does not take away anything from your experience, but I would assume many here would want to know more as these kinds of things are pretty easily measured.
 

tparm

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Great to hear you are enjoying the AVM90.
"measurement peeps".... Sorry for commenting, but this is ASR :) The only measuremets I am interested in are what the AVM90 is doing with subs. If it is doing what DLBC is doing and has been proven to do with measurements, that would be fantastic for everyone (more competition is a good thing!). Speaking for myself, but having only subjective comments as my system has never sounded better without anything else provided woudln't move me to purchase. It is just a matter of time I'm sure before the ARC beta geta out of beta and eventually there can be some concrete measurements on how effective it is managing subs. This does not take away anything from your experience, but I would assume many here would want to know more as these kinds of things are pretty easily measured.
I can upload my ARC file from my home computer later (EDIT guess I have them at work too, I think this is my latest but not 100% sure) - attached) and at some point soon-ish I'll run single and combined REW measurements and provide them. I too was sorta waiting for firmware to officially be released before taking REW measurements but can do so now.
 

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  • ARC 4-7-22 beta.pdf
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tparm

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The file above is not my final, I will have to upload that later.
 

Vacceo

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One of my options for electronics upgrade is an Anthem AVM+purifi amps. My logic on the second is that amps will not get better in terms of sound than that, and efficiency-wise, the improvements will be just marginal as heat and electricity consumption connot get much better. Power-wise, those purifi amps can handle anything you through at them.

The AVM's seem to perform well in all scenarios: CD, vynil, films, videogames and streaming. Sure, there may be better gear for particular cases, but at the present moment, no other processor offers all these functionalities working so well.

If EQ is at least as good, if not directly better than the classics (Audyssey and Dirac), I honestly see no better all in one system.
 

tparm

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One of my options for electronics upgrade is an Anthem AVM+purifi amps. My logic on the second is that amps will not get better in terms of sound than that, and efficiency-wise, the improvements will be just marginal as heat and electricity consumption connot get much better. Power-wise, those purifi amps can handle anything you through at them.

The AVM's seem to perform well in all scenarios: CD, vynil, films, videogames and streaming. Sure, there may be better gear for particular cases, but at the present moment, no other processor offers all these functionalities working so well.

If EQ is at least as good, if not directly better than the classics (Audyssey and Dirac), I honestly see no better all in one system.
I am using an NAD C298 for my LR channels. Very pleased.
 

Vacceo

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I was thinking getting a multichannel amp from Apollon to replace my current Denon AVR 2808.
 

Keened

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I was thinking getting a multichannel amp from Apollon to replace my current Denon AVR 2808.
Buckeye *might* be coming out with a 5/8 channel Purifi after getting the 8 channel NCores out the door. If you can wait until August/September I think that might be the way to go. Nothing wrong with Apollon though if you've got the cash.
 

Vacceo

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Buckeye *might* be coming out with a 5/8 channel Purifi after getting the 8 channel NCores out the door. If you can wait until August/September I think that might be the way to go. Nothing wrong with Apollon though if you've got the cash.
I'm in Europe, so shipping from the US+customs make the proposition not worth it.

Nothing wrong with Buckeye amps, on the contrary. Just a matter of location. :(
 

tparm

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If anyone is interested, this is the latest ARC file I have.
 

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  • ARC 4-9-22 beta.pdf
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Sam Ash

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Hey Sam, yes it’s pretty well treated. I don’t want to be presumptive but glad to include pics if you like.

Thanks @tparm - I suppose pics would be nice.

Are you using the new beta version of ARC Genesis?

Have you had an opportunity to compare the 70 and 90 or for that matter the 70/90 with other higher-end processors?
 

tparm

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Thanks @tparm - I suppose pics would be nice.

Are you using the new beta version of ARC Genesis?

Have you had an opportunity to compare the 70 and 90 or for that matter the 70/90 with other higher-end processors?
Beta, yes. I haven’t compared the 70 to the 90 and my journey is detailed above in a few prior posts. I’m not convinced the 90 would be any better for movies but possibly for spatial music and 2CH playback. If given the opportunity I’ll certainly jump at the opportunity to try one out!

A few quick photos this morning before heading to work. Note the unorthodox sub placement, that’s how they measured best and running beta ARC blended them brilliantly.
 

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